This archive report was first published on 8 June 2020.
Ruth Matete, a gospel singer and former Tusker Project Fame winner, has given up on retrieving her late husband's body from the Kenyatta National Hospital morgue. In a letter to the Nigerian Embassy, Matete's lawyer, Robert Odanga, stated that she is no longer interested in the body and will not pursue further action to claim it.
Matete's husband, John Apewajoye, died on April 11, 2020, in a gas explosion at their home in Athi River. Initially, Matete was suspected of being involved in his death, but a post-mortem examination revealed that he died from 60% burns to his chest area.
The Nigerian Embassy has been holding the body pending investigations by the DCI in Kenya, which may lead to a conclusion on the circumstances surrounding Apewajoye's death. However, Matete's lawyer claims that the embassy has become dismissive and hostile towards Matete and her representatives, leaving her sad and frustrated.
Matete had earlier stated that she and her family were struggling financially due to the medical costs of her late husband. The embassy's refusal to release the body has added to her distress, and she has now given up on pursuing the matter further.
“You can hold the body and do with it as you please,” reads part of the letter from Matete's lawyer to the Nigerian Embassy.
